The present invention relates to cases or holders for cell phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), portable video/music players, electronic books, electronic tablets and other handheld and/or free-standing display devices, as well as the devices themselves. The present invention also relates to a versatile protective holder that can allow placement on any surface for hands-free viewing, with full adjustment of viewing angle in landscape and/or portrait orientations; directional sound reflecting and baffling; easier cleaning and viewing of the device's screen; easier grasping by the user; wearing of the device using a belt clip or arm or waist band; as well as attachment to an automobile, bicycle, or other vehicle.
In this new era of digital convergence, portable devices are increasingly being used for multiple tasks ranging from audio and video telephony to navigation to computing to electronic books to video and audio entertainment. For example, Apple's iPhone® mobile digital device is a fully functional mobile phone, GPS navigation device, internet, document and image browser, audio and video library, electronic book reader and streaming video terminal Apple also has a variety of iPod® portable video/music players and has recently introduced the new iPod Touch® mobile digital device which is the first-ever Wi-Fi iPod® that can download and play video in realtime on a 3.5-inch widescreen display, and the new Apple iPad® mobile digital device, which is a full size mobile computing and entertainment tablet with a 9.7 inch multi-touch screen. While some users prefer to carry such handheld devices in a shirt pocket, handbag or pants pocket, others prefer to clip the device to their belt. Regardless, there is often a desire to stand the device at an incline when watching video programming, reading a book, or viewing still images. Soon, these same devices will also be capable of two-way video conferencing. In order to serve all viewing and operating preferences and as well to protect their device, users sometimes purchase protective holders with detachable belt clips and/or viewing stands.
There are a variety of conventional hard-shell and soft-shell holders available for mobile phones, PDAs, e-readers and portable video/music players, but these have rather limited functionality. Although they generally succeed in protecting the mobile phone/PDA/tablet/e-reader/portable video/music player, they can detract from its portability, usability and/or aesthetic appearance, and fall short of the needs of the user in many other ways. The framework employed to restrain the PDA/cell phone/portable video/music player can make them poor choices for mobile usage, too big for storage on a person and partially block access to keys or screens. Moreover, the stand mechanisms currently in use often compel either landscape or portrait viewing. This limits versatility and usability. None of these protective cases have a built-in retractable stand that enables multi-angle viewing in more than one orientation.
For example, the iPhone®, iPad® and iPod Touch® mobile digital devices are smart terminals that automatically adjust their displays of still images to landscape or portrait viewing mode depending on the orientation of the device. On the other hand, when video is played back, these devices automatically rotate the display to landscape. While Belkin™ and other manufacturers produce a case for the iPhone® with a transformable belt clip or kickstand for video viewing, the belt clip/kickstand is bulky and prevents insertion into one's pocket. Moreover, the incline of the device cannot be adjusted. This problem becomes acute in certain situation such as on an airplane where placement of the device is limited to a tray over which the user is hunched, and the device is best viewed at a relatively flat incline to properly see the LCD screen. In addition, the case is a clamshell design that clamps over the iPhone® preventing it from being readily removed from the case.
It would be greatly advantageous to provide a more functional holder or support mechanism for any of the iPhone®, iPad®, iPod® mobile digital device lines, and other PDAs, mobile phones, electronic tablet computers, electronic books and portable video/music players. Such a holder could include one or more of the features of 1) resilient side grippers that clamp around the device to protect it without obscuring the display or controls; 2) all-around symmetric features that allow the device to be used in multiple orientations without compromising usability; 3) an adjustable kickstand or support that allows adjustment of the viewing angle within a broad range and/or landscape or portrait viewing; 4) an extremely low profile design to facilitate pocket insertion; 5) a detachable belt clip or clip for an arm band for wearing the device by a user; 6) directional sound deflector; 7) minimized screen blockage to enable easy one handed cleaning; 8) an automotive, bicycle or other vehicle attachment; 9) easy to hold finger depressions; 10) slim, low-profile design that adds minimal additional bulk; 11) headphone cord management; 12) arm strap attachment; and 13) an eye-catching aesthetic.